Wire wrapping machine



July 1, 1947. c. M. BELLG WIRE WRAPPING MACHINE Filed July 17, 1945 2sheets-sheet 1 INVENTOR C nlealM-fiel l g. 6AM

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* MWW ATTORNEY Patented July 1, 1947 T UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WIREWRAPPING MACHINE Charles M. Bellg, Toledo, Ohio Application July 17,1945, Serial No. 605,520

Claims. 1

The present invention relates to improved mechanism for applyingwrappings or servings on wires, cables or stranded continuous bodies ofcylindrical or other shape.

It is the usual practice to cover wires or other electrical conductorswith insulating coverings, which are wrapped or braided thereon and suchinsulation often comprises a plurality of layers each impregnated withan electrical varnish. It is at times advisable in the interest ofeconomy to wrap or serve the innermost layers rather than braid themsince such operation is more rapidly accomplished. Also whenconsiderable thickness of insulation is desired, heavier material may bemore readily applied.

It is the primary object of the present invention simultaneously toapply a plurality of layers of insulation on a wire or the like bywrapping in a single operation.

It is another object of the invention to apply stranded insulatingmaterial to a, wire in such a way that adjacent layers are wrapped inopposite directions whereby each layer operates to secure the adjacentinner layer against unraveling.

A further object of the invention is to provide an apparatus ofrelatively simple construction for rapidly and economically applyingwire covering.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description when considered in viewof the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the apparatus in which the invention isembodied; and

Figure 2 is a side elevational view with parts being shown in section.

Insulation of electrical conductors such as wires has long been thesubject of many and various combinations of material. The more commontypes usually comprise an inner coating or layer of rubber or likematerial covered with a layer or layers of wrapped or braided textilematerial, the outer layer being braided and impregnated with anelectrical varnish or a bituminous composition such as asphalt, or othermaterial having a high dielectric strength. In order to increase thethickness of the insulation on the conductor, a number of layers areusually applied. I his material may be strands or slivers of cotton orother vegetable fibers or of inorganic fibers such as fibrous glass.

I have found that the application of insulating material to a wire maybe accomplished rapidly and efliciently by wrapping several layersapplied by a simple duplication of the mechanism soon to be described.

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus comprises generally threerotatable ring assemblies 5, 6 and 1 respectively forming a turret andconcentrically mounted on a column 8, which forms the base support forthe apparatus. The outer or drive ring 1 is provided with a hub I0journaled on the column 8 and has a bevel gear I I secured thereto andmeshing with a pinion lZ carried by a variable speed drive motor I3.Thrust bearings B support the weight of the rings on the column. Themotor is mounted on a bracket [4 formed on the column and drives thering 1 in a counterclockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow inFigure 1.

The ring 1 is formed with an upstanding rim l5 terminating in aninwardly extending radial flange I6 which forms the support for theouter group of bobbins or strand carrying spools ll. The rings 5 and, 6ar each provided with hubs l8 and I9 respectively journaled on thecolumn 8 and bearings 20 are provided therebetween for rotataivelysupporting the rings which are sup-- ported in turn on the ring I.

Inwardly extending radial flange 22 and flange 23 on the rings 5 and 6respectively lie in the plane of the flange l5 and carry additionalgroups of bobbins 25 and 26. It will be noted in Figure 1 that the innerring 5 carrying bobbins 25 rotates in the direction of the ring I, asindicated by the arrow, and the number of bobbins is the same as thatcarried by the ring I. The intermediate ring 6 rotates counter to thedirection of the rings 5 and l and carries twice the number of bobbins26 carried by either of the counter rotating rings. This arrangementprovides for an equal number of strands being wound in each direction.Stripping guides 28 are provided adjacent each bobbin to assureunwinding and guiding the strand as the rings are rotated.

Rotation of the rings is effected by means of upper and lower ring gears30 and 3| suitably secured within the hubs of the rings in the mannershown in Figure 2 and pinions 33 rotatably fixed to the column 8 andmeshing with the gears 30 and 3|. Thus rotation of the outer ring I andthe ring gear 3| carried thereby, causes rotation of the pinion 33 whichmeshing with the ring 30 on the hub 19, produces a counter-rotatingmovement. This motion transmitted through the gearing between the rings5 and 6 causes the ring 5 to move in the direction of the ring I.Gearing indicated at 35 in Figure 2 including a worm 36 mounted on ashaft 31 and worm wheel 38 on a shaft 39, may be employed if desired todrive a wire feed and take-up by means of a bevel gear 49 on the shaft31 meshing with the driving gear H. A hand wheel 4| shown in dottedlines in Figure l, is provided for manually rotating the turret.

In operation, a conductor C which may be either a bare wire or onehaving previous coatings already applied, is fed axially upward throughthe column 8 by any suitable feeding and take-up means (not shown).Strands or slivers from the bobbins ll, 25 and 26 are startedthereon. Acoating of adhesive may first be applied to the conductor if desired.

As the strands are wound, the conductor is fed upwardly at a sufficientrate to produce a uniformly helical lay of the strands. This feedingspeed may be so regulated that with the number of strands shown, that isfive in the first layer, ten in the second and five in the third, asimulated woven pattern results. This effect may be produced byregulating the feed rate of the conductor so that the greater number ofstrands of the intermediate group forms a continuous layer and thestrands of the outer group laying in the opposite direction, being lessin number are consequently spaced. apart a slight distance.

Machines of the present type may be arranged in multiple to applyadditional layers continuously or combined with mechanism forimpregnating the layers already applied.

Modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an apparatus for covering wire including a rotatable turret, astationary column supporting said turret, said turret comprising aplurality of concentrically arranged ring-dike members adapted forrotation independently of each other, each ring having a hub andsupported by.

the ring next below, means operatively oonneoting said rings, andresponsive to rotation of said lowermost ring for driving said ring inopposite directions, a series of strand carrying'bobbins on each ringmember and means for rotating the turret.

2. In an apparatus for covering wire including a rotatable turret, astationary column supporting said turret, said turret comprising aplurality of concentrically arranged ring-like members adapted forrotation independently of each other, each ring having a hub andsupported by the ring next below, means operatively connecting saidrings including pairs of ring gears meshing with pinions mounted on saidcolumn, and responsive to rotation of said lowermost ring for drivingsaid ring in opposite directions, a series of strand carrying bobbins oneach ring member, and means for rotating the turret.

3. In an apparatus for covering wire including a rotatable turret, astationary column support-- ing said turret, said turret comprising aplurality of concentrically arranged ring-like members adapted forrotation independently of each other, each ring having a hub andsupported by the ring next below, means operatively connecting saidrings including pairs of ring gears meshing with pinions mounted on saidcolumn, and responsive to rotation of said lowermost ring for drivingsaid ring in opposite directions, a series of strandcarrying bobbins oneach ring member, stripping guides for each bobbin for guiding thestrand on the wire as it is wound, and means for rotating the turret.

4. In an apparatus for covering wire including a rotatable turret, astationary column suppor ing said turret, said turret comprisingseparately rotatable members each formed with a hub providing a bearingon said column, each of said members including radially extendingportions having upstanding annular flanges'coneentrically arranged andterminating in a common plane, a plurality of strand carrying bobbins oneach of said flanges, a driving gear secured to the lowermost of saidhubs, vertically arranged pairs of ring gears cooperatively disposedbetween the hubs of adjacent members and secured thereto, pinionsmeshing with said pairs of ring gears secured to said column wherebymovement of one rotatable member in one direction produces movement ofthe next adjacent member in the opposite direction, means for drivingsaid lowermost member whereby strands drawn from the bobbins carried byeach member are wrapped in opposite directions around a wire passingthrough said turret, and means for guiding the strands as they are drawnfrom the bobbins.

5. Apparatus for wrapping an insulating material about a continuouslymoving wire including a rotatable turret, said turret comprisingconcentric strand carrying members adapted for rotation, said membersbeing mounted about a central hub, means forming a part of said mountinginterconnecting said members in a manner concomitantly to transmit therotational movement of one member to reverse rotational movement to themembers adjacent, and means for imparting rotational movement to one ofsaid members.

CHARLES M. BELLG.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,209,903 Subers Dec. 26, 19161,445,651 Subers 1 Feb. 20, 1923

